Process and arrangement for selectively transmitting predetermined characters or graphic patterns

Abstract

Predetermined characters or graphic patterns are transmitted from a transmitting station to a receiving station in a system wherein a printing head is provided with at least one printing component in the receiving station and is supplied with binary character sequences which trigger printing commands. The binary character sequences which represent the predetermined characters are stored in the receiving station in a character generator from which the sequences are read following the transmission of data words assigned to the predetermined characters, and are fed to the printing head. When graphic patterns are transmitted, code words are produced in the transmitting station to describe the graphic patterns, which words possess the same format as the data words. The code words are transmitted in place of the data words to the receiving station and in the receiving station the code words are converted into binary character sequences which are fed to the printing head in the place of the binary character sequences emitted from the character generator.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a process for transmitting predetermined characters or graphic patterns from a transmitting station to a receiving station, wherein the receiving station includes a printing head having at least one printing component and is supplied with binary character sequences of data words which trigger printing commands, a character generator is provided in the receiving station to store binary character sequences which represent the predetermined characters and emit the sequences to the printing head upon receipt of data words assigned to the predetermined characters, the improvement for graphic pattern transmission comprising the steps of: producing code words representing graphic patterns and having the same format as the data words; transmitting the code words in place of the data words from the transmitting station to the receiving station; receiving the code words at the receiving station; converting the received code words into binary character sequences; and   feeding the last-mentioned binary character sequences to the printing head in place of the first-mentioned binary character sequences.   
     
     
       2. The improved process of claim 1, further defined by: producing the data words and the code words in the same format representing teleprinter words.   
     
     
       3. The improved process of claim 2, further defined by: producing the teleprinter words in accordance with the CCITT Code No. 5.   
     
     
       4. The improved process of claim 1, further comprising the step of: producing the code words by scanning a format having graphic patterns thereon.   
     
     
       5. The improved process of claim 1, further comprising the step of: storing the code words to be transmitted in the transmitting station.   
     
     
       6. The improved process of claim 1, further defined by: producing the code words to represent at least a portion of a binary sequence for operating the printing head.   
     
     
       7. The improved process of claim 1, comprising the further steps of: transmitting a respective transfer signal from the transmitter to the receiver indicating the subsequent transmission of data words or code words, respectively; and switching through to the printing head signals corresponding to the respective transfer signal.   
     
     
       8. The improved process of claim 1, comprising the further step of: intermediately storing a predetermined sequence of code words in the receiving station.   
     
     
       9. The improved process of claim 1, wherein the step of producing code words is further defined as: generating and inputting the code words with a keyboard code word generator.   
     
     
       10. An arrangement for transmitting predetermined characters and graphic patterns, comprising: a transmitting station,   a receiving station,   a transmission medium connecting said transmitting and receiving stations,   a memory storing code words in said transmitting station representing graphic patterns,   a data word generator in said transmitting station for generating data words representing alphanumberic characters,   scanning means including a first converter in said transmitting station for scanning a format of graphic patterns and producing corresponding code words,   a transmitter in said transmitting station connected to said transmission medium,   said memory, said data word generator and said scanning means also including means producing respective transfer signals characteristic of data words and code words,   a first switching stage connected to said data word generator, to said memory, to said scanning means and to said transmitter and operable in response to a transfer signal to selectively connect said memory or said scanning means or said data word generator to said transmitter,   a receiver in said receiving station connected to said transmission medium,   a character generator connected to said receiver and operable to produce first binary character sequences in response to received data words,   a second converter connected to said receiver and operable to produce second binary character sequences in response to received code words,   a printing head, and   a second switching stage connected to said printing head and connected to said character generator and to said second converter and operable in response to said transfer signals to selectively connect said first and second binary character sequences to said printing head.   
     
     
       11. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein said first converter includes an intermediate memory, and   said scanning means includes a scanning device for scanning a plurality of lines simultaneously and storing the scanning results in said intermediate memory.   
     
     
       12. The arrangement of claim 10, wherein said second converter includes an intermediate memory for storing as many code words as are required to produce a first binary character assigned to a predetermined character.   
     
     
       13. The arrangement of claim 10, comprising an additional memory in said receiving station connected to said receiver for storing received code words.